Hundreds of millions of people have received ivermectin every year in campaigns against onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis with excellent safety profile. It is also an endectocide, a drug capable of killing mosquitoes feeding on treated subjects.
In the face of the challenges posed by insecticide resistance and residual transmission, mass drug administration of endectocides holds potential as a complementary strategy for malaria elimination.
Mounting evidence suggests that mass-treatment of humans (or their livestock) with ivermectin can reduce vector survival and help reduce malaria transmission. There are however numerous knowledge gaps regarding the appropriate dosing, trial design and regulatory pathway for such a novel approach.
This ‘Ivermectin to reduce malaria transmission’ thematic series in the Malaria Journal aims at providing a comprehensive assessment and factors to consider in adapting this tool for a potential new indication.
This series of articles has not been sponsored. All articles in this series have undergone the journal’s standard peer-review process and each article can also be found individually in the journal.